News chronological

Showing 10 items before 1159527

Filters Applied:

AMERICANALMANAC (Charles McAdams) - New USGS earthquake model puts 159 million Americans in expanded danger zones

Nearly half the U.S. population now lives in areas exposed to building-damaging earthquake shaking, a sharp jump from prior federal estimates that raises hard questions about infrastructure readiness nationwide. A new study built on the latest U.S. Geological Survey National Seismic Hazard Model found that roughly 159.2 million Americans reside in zones exposed to "very […] The post New USGS earthquake model puts 159 million Americans in expanded danger zones appeared first on American Almanac .

Nearly half the U.S. population now lives in areas exposed to building-damaging earthquake shaking, a sharp jump from prior federal estimates that raises hard questions about infrastructure readiness nationwide. A new study built on the latest U.S. Geological Survey National Seismic Hazard Model found that roughly 159.2 million Americans reside in zones exposed to "very strong" earthquake shaking, the kind that can crack walls, buckle frames, and knock buildings off foundations. The previous version of the USGS model placed that number at 111.8 million, meaning the updated science added more than 47 million people to the highest-risk category in a single revision. The numbers do not stop at population. Researchers calculated that 47.3…Open

What scientific updates were incorporated into the 2023 National Seismic Hazard Model?
The 2023 model incorporated revised earthquake records, improved computer simulations of how seismic waves travel through rock and soil, and new data regarding fault lines and underground sediment layers. The study utilized a benchmark of a two percent chance of the predicted shaking being exceeded within a 50-year timeframe.
Q&A ID 6d194642-fef5-486c-a561-baac9bbd1809
How does the 2023 USGS National Seismic Hazard Model differ from the 1996 model in its identification of high-hazard bridges?
Using fixed modern population and infrastructure data as a benchmark, the 1996 USGS model would have flagged approximately 10,900 bridges as high-hazard, whereas the 2023 model identified roughly 7,300 high-hazard bridges. The study notes this lower count is due to the new model distributing risk more precisely and concentrating hazards differently rather than a reduction in actual danger.
Q&A ID 77481ecf-0c8c-4d04-909a-565ab40621d1
What are the findings regarding the vulnerability of highway bridges in the United States?
Researchers examined over 600,000 highway bridges with a combined replacement value exceeding $1.5 trillion that handle over 4.5 billion vehicle trips daily. The top 1% of bridges ranked for hazard have an estimated replacement value of $31 billion, while the top 1% ranked for overall risk (factoring in traffic and disruption) are worth approximately $74 billion to replace.
Q&A ID 7788f362-f30c-4e40-aa04-193e5bf7be44
Which specific cities and regions were identified as being unexpectedly vulnerable to seismic disruption?
The study identified New York, Atlanta, and St. Louis as being unexpectedly vulnerable due to heavily traveled bridges that could fail or become impassable. Additionally, Seattle, Portland, Salt Lake City, and Charleston were noted as metro areas where bridges pose the greatest disruption risk. The New Madrid Seismic Zone, running through the central U.S. near the Mississippi River, also saw increased danger.
Q&A ID 3fdbf2b8-8327-4b2c-af96-56960018a4c7
What are the implications for infrastructure and property value according to the new USGS earthquake study?
The study found that 47.3 million homes and $25.6 trillion worth of buildings are located within "very-strong-shaking" zones. If the scope is widened to include areas exposed to at least "strong" shaking, the figures increase to roughly 234 million people, 73 million homes, and $38 trillion in building value.
Q&A ID 8a5c6c42-915b-4344-ac6c-9c953bd2a85f
How many Americans are now estimated to live in zones exposed to "very strong" earthquake shaking according to the latest U.S. Geological Survey National Seismic Hazard Model?
Approximately 159.2 million Americans reside in zones exposed to "very strong" earthquake shaking, which is a significant increase from the 111.8 million people identified by the previous version of the USGS model.
Q&A ID 0f5ec9fb-5620-4407-863d-9d9140b6e383
Keywordsearthquakeusgsnatural-disasterseismic-hazardinfrastructurebridge-safetyunited-statescalifornianew-madrid-seismic-zonegeologyrisk-assessmentbuilding-codesurban-planningpublic-safetyemergency-preparednessstructural-integritynational-seismic-hazard-modelsan-franciscolos-angelesseismologydisaster-managementcivil-engineeringproperty-damageeconomic-impactamerica

NEWSCATS (Diana Zapata) - California Faces Renewed ‘Big One’ Warning as USGS Hazard Maps Highlight Earthquake Threat

Researchers found that 159.2 million people live in areas exposed to ‘very strong’ shaking under the latest US Geological Survey (USGS) hazard model. Above is an AI-generated stock image Published August 9, 2026 CALIFORNIA — [...]

Keywordscaliforniaearthquakebig-oneusgsseismic-hazardnatural-disastergeological-activityrisk-assessmentpublic-safetysan-franciscohazard-mapsstructural-integritydisaster-preparednessshaking-intensityunited-states

YOUTUBE (NewsNation) - Cracks in Boeing jets prompt FAA inspections

Click to play Video
▶️

Hundreds of Boeing 737-Max jets need to be inspected for structural integrity issues, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, after it received reports that some of the airplanes had cracks in near one of the galley door cutouts. The directive impacts three models of 737 Maxes — the Max 8, Max 8-200 and Max 9 — amounting to around 470 planes. NewsNation's Marcus Espinoza reports. Start your day with "Morning in America," NewsNation's live three-hour national morning newscast hosted by Markie Martin. Weekdays starting at 6a/5C. #MorningInAmerica NewsNation is your source for fact-based, unbiased news for all Americans.

Keywordsboeingfaaaviation737-maxaircraft-inspectionaviation-safetystructural-integrityairplane-cracksflight-safetyaerospaceaviation-industrynewsnationtravel-safetyairlinermanufacturing-issue

NYTIMES (Mihir Zaveri, Patrick McGeehan and Arfa Momin) - Violations Found at Sites Involving Firms Linked to Unstable Building

After two steel beams buckled at a Manhattan high-rise last month, city officials conducted inspections at dozens of construction sites across the city. None of the violations posed a danger to the public, the city said.

Keywordsnycmanhattanconstruction-violationsbuilding-safetyhigh-risesteel-beamsurban-developmentinfrastructurenew-york-cityreal-estatesafety-inspectionsstructural-integrityconstruction-firmsny-regionpublic-safety

AMERICANALMANAC (Jack Newsome) - Buckled columns in Midtown Manhattan high-rise raise hard questions about two other structurally troubled NYC skyscrapers

Two steel columns buckled inside a 37-story Midtown Manhattan tower on July 7, caving in five floors and forcing a mass evacuation, and the incident is drawing fresh scrutiny to a pair of far taller buildings with documented structural problems of their own. Construction workers were inside 235 East 42nd Street, the former Pfizer global […] The post Buckled columns in Midtown Manhattan high-rise raise hard questions about two other structurally troubled NYC skyscrapers appeared first on American Almanac .

Two steel columns buckled inside a 37-story Midtown Manhattan tower on July 7, caving in five floors and forcing a mass evacuation, and the incident is drawing fresh scrutiny to a pair of far taller buildings with documented structural problems of their own. Construction workers were inside 235 East 42nd Street, the former Pfizer global headquarters near Grand Central Terminal, when the columns on the 21st floor gave way. Floors 21 through 26 sagged and caved under the stress. The New York City Fire Department arrived and confirmed the buckled columns. The Department of Buildings ordered everyone out, and the Washington Examiner reported that nine nearby buildings were also evacuated, including a school with roughly 400 children,…Open

Keywordsmanhattannycskyscraperbuilding-collapsestructural-failuremidtown-manhattanreal-estateconstruction-safety432-park-avenue161-maiden-laneurban-developmenthousing-crisisdepartment-of-buildingsluxury-real-estateengineering-failurestructural-integritybuilding-violationsnyc-politicspublic-safetyzohran-mamdanioffice-to-residential-conversionhigh-riseconstruction-errorsinfrastructureurban-decay

NYTIMES (James Glanz and Simon Ducroquet) - Manhattan Building’s Buckled Columns Probably Lacked Required Reinforcements

Drawings obtained by The New York Times show the columns called for additional steel plates, but engineers reviewing site photos said they appeared to be missing.

Keywordsmanhattannycnew-york-citybuilding-collapseconstructionengineeringstructural-failuresteelarchitecturesafetyinfrastructurebuilding-codesny-regionreal-estatestructural-engineeringinvestigationurban-developmentconstruction-errorstructural-integritymanhattan-building

NYTIMES (Stefanos Chen, Dionne Searcey, Asmaa Elkeurti and Mihir Zaveri) - Inspector of Buckling Building Cited for Missing Problems at Other Sites

A New York Times review of city records shows that the firm, Domani Inspection Services, was repeatedly accused of breaking New York City rules.

Keywordsnycnew-york-citybuilding-collapseinspectiondomani-inspection-servicessafety-violationsconstruction-safetynew-york-timesurban-safetygovernment-oversightbuilding-codesstructural-integrityinvestigationpublic-safetyregulatory-failureinfrastructurehousing-safetynyc-government

ABCNEWS - Midtown blocks evacuated after beams found buckling at construction site: Police

Several Manhattan buildings were evacuated Tuesday morning after construction workers discovered the structure of an office building was compromised, officials said.

Keywordsnycmanhattanmidtownnew-york-citynyusabuilding-collapseconstructionevacuationemergencypublic-safetystructural-failureoffice-buildingbreaking-newspoliceurban-safetydebrishigh-risesafetystructural-integritymanhattan-nycnew-yorkabc-news